Death is a part of life. Too often death is a taboo in our society, and people avoid talking about or planning for it. This taboo is even more obvious when people with intellectual disability are part of these conversations. People with intellectual disability should learn about dying and death just as they learn about every other aspect of life. Teaching about the end of life is hard though.
There are many aspects of end of life to consider, from how someone might choose to be treated medically, including palliative care options and Advanced Care Directives, to funeral planning, having a Will put in place to declare who you want your personal belongings and/or finances to be bequeathed to when you die, and the appointment of an Enduring Guardian or Power of Attorney.
Talking End of Life (TEL)...with people with intellectual disability, shows disability support workers how to teach people with intellectual disability about the end of life. TEL is an online toolkit designed for disability support workers but is also helpful for others including families, health professionals, and educators. There are 12 modules with videos to work through. There are resources, such as checklists to support the topics and conversations. Some topics link to Books Beyond Words to support decisions and understanding.
Topics in "Talking End of Life" Include
- What death is
- Death of a pet
- End of life planning
- Organ donation
- What do you want at your funeral
- What happens at a funeral
- Saying goodbye
- Who will have your things after you die
- Honouring cultural wishes
- People grieve in different ways
- Taking things when you die
- Remembering someone who has died
- The body after death
For more information and to view the videos and resources visit the website Talking End of Life.
